Clashes between two factions of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Satkhira District’s Shyamnagar upazila on Wednesday injured at least 22 people, including police officers and security officials even though authorities enforced Section 144.
After tensions between the two groups increased, the confrontation took place in Shyamnagar’s Ismailpur neighborhood. After the leaders of the newly established Shyamnagar BNP committee organized a rally, members of the dissolved committee took action to stop the event, which led to the conflict. The Upazila government enforced Section 144 in the region out of fear of more bloodshed.
A stick was thrown during the march headed for Shyamnagar town, which was led by Solaiman Kabir, the former acting general secretary of the Upazila BNP. This led to a confrontation between the two groups.
With the assistance of police and security forces, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Abdullah Al Rifat and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Roni Khatun tried to step in, but the violence persisted, injuring 22 people.
Humayun Kabir, the officer in command of the Shyamnagar police station, Saiful Islam, a security guard, and a number of BNP activists were among the injured.
According to Solaiman Kabir, his supporters marched in protest after being attacked on January 19 and 20. He said that members of the Awami League and the heads of the disbanded committee attacked his group, injuring several people. Additionally, Kabir called district BNP member secretary Abdul Alim “undesirable” in the upazila and accused him of encouraging the violence.
A 31-point meeting organized by the BNP’s Chhatra Dal (Student Wing) in Shyamnagar was allegedly being disrupted by Solaiman and his followers, according to Ashik-e-Elahi Munna, the joint general secretary of the disbanded committee.
Munna asserted that Solaiman and his crew stormed his home with the assistance of Awami League supporters, under the leadership of district BNP chairperson Iftikhar Ali.
The president of the disbanded Upazila BNP committee, Abdul Wahed, requested justice and an inquiry into the altercations.